MOGADISHU, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Somali government said on Saturday that its forces had killed 12 Islamist rebel fighters including three senior commanders in brief clashes in the Somali capital Mogadishu late on Friday.

The fighting erupted in the south of Mogadishu after Islamist fighters from the two rebel insurgent movements, Hezbul Islam and al Shabaab, attacked the Somali government checkpoint, causing the death of the three rebel commanders, senior government official said. "Six (fighters) from the Hezbul Islam were killed including two commanders while six more also died from Al Shabaab group including a middle rank commander," Sheikh Yusuf Siyad Indha Adde, the minister of state for defense told reporters in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

The state minister also said that several assault rifles had also seized following the brief confrontation between the two sides.

The Islamist rebel movements wage nearly daily attacks on targets of the Somali government and the peacekeepers from the African Union (AU) based in the restive capital.

Islamist groups who control much of south and center of Somalia including large parts of the coastal city have not so far comment on the Somali government's claims.

The Somali government has lately been planning a major offensive to drive Islamist rebel fighters from Mogadishu and spread its authority to the rest of areas controlled by Islamist insurgent groups.

Somalia has been without a strong central government since the overthrow of the late Somali ruler Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1991.